The Essence of BL
by VannuroRB
Summary: With little left to do for the summer, stumbling upon a secret, Yugi gives Yami something to do to fill out the rest of his summer vacation.


I have no shame.

So, this may need a little backstory to understand why the hell I wrote this. I had an idea of Yami going on vacation, and meeting Anzu, Yugi, and Joey. The theme would be similar to the anime's where there would be one guy, and many girls, sort of a "pick which one he dates" (Can you guess which anime I had been watching at the time?). I liked the idea, I thought it was humorous, but ultimately had to scrap it when I realised I couldn't think of a satisfying ending. One thing I really liked though was Yugi's, what would have been, backstory. It was clichéd, and a little peculiar, but cute and funny at the same time. So, I thought that if I wasn't going to write the full story, I'd show you guys a little of what my thought process had conjured up. Obviously things have been switched around to condense it into a one-shot and to make sense of the situation, but the premise is still there, and hopefully the humour too.

With that said, I hope you enjoy this…er…endless treat, while I go back to my actual stories. God damnit I need help :/

* * *

The Essence of BL~

Punch, kick, kick, punch, kick, and the final blow. Game over.

"What the hell?!" Joey gave a growl, and threw his fist to the arcade machine, making it shudder slightly under his force.

"Oi, don't take your bad losing out on the game" Tristan scolded "If you break it, we're going to have to pay for its repairs".

"This is bullshit!" Joey swore, stuffing his hands into his pockets, and pouting like a misbehaved child "You saw how it went Tristan! This game is so faulty!"

Tristan raised his brow at Joey "The only one at fault here is you Joey, and that's because Yami's better at games then you are".

"Yo, Joey" The blond lifted his head, seeing Yami's hand resting on top of the fighting game, wriggling his fingers to encourage a handshake "Good game?"

"Screw you" Joey spat, turning his head away at the sportsmanship "I know you cheated! There's gotta be a way to beat you!"

Yami gave a laugh, and sat back in his seat, admiring his victory screen before it disappeared.

For the past hour, the group of teens had been wasting their time within the arcade. Summer vacation had been fun for the most part; the group had spent most of their time together, enjoying their time away from school, and catching up with outgoings they had missed before. The long, hot summer days were slow for them, which helped drag out the time they had together.

"You wanna go again Joey?" Yami asked, already selecting a character to play with.

There was a grumble from the other side, but after a few moments of thought, Joey began to select his character "I swear to god I'm gonna beat your impossible ass!"

Yami laughed at Joey's meaningless threat, but eagerly accepted the challenge, waiting when he could lap up his victory over his struggling friend.

Anzu, who had been Yami's support, gave a sigh as she watched the digital fight "It's a shame Yugi couldn't be here. He's the only one out of us who has the skill to beat you".

"Mm. Maybe another time" Yami said, his eyes set to the health bar of the two fighters. _But, Yugi said he had to help out at the game shop today. That's been happening a lot recently…I hope his grandfather and him are okay. Their shop is small, and old games aren't so popular these days, I wonder if they're having money trouble…_

Through his thoughts, Yami continued to mercilessly weaken Joey's character, until the final blow, where he brought the character to the ground and paraded over his unconscious body.

Another slam from the other side of the arcade machine "What the hell?!" Joey bellowed "He's gotta be cheating! There's no way!"

"You just suck" Was Tristan's blunt response.

Yami gave a chuckle, and hearing Joey delve into a heated bicker with Tristan, let his eyes fall to the buttons that his fingers stroked over. _If they were having trouble, Yugi probably wouldn't say so. He's always putting himself last on the list._ Yami then gave a small sigh to his thoughts. _Even so, what could a teenager like me do in that scenario?_

The group spent another few hours at the arcade, with Yami gaining triumph over his friends and indulging himself with his proud skills, before the gang had decided that the day had run out, and the day would be called to an end there. With their patience in playing against Yami running thin, and their money slowly disappearing, it was the best course of action.

They stood outside the arcade for a while longer, simply chatting amongst themselves, and giving them ample time to keep Joey's losing streak alive longer. But there was little keeping them rooted to the spot, so each began to make their departure from the front of the arcade.

Tristan had begun walking with a sulking Joey, head down and hands pocketed. Tristan turned back to Yami and Anzu, giving them a wave, as he and Joey continued to walk.

"We'll see you guys some other time" He said, before turning back to Joey.

"Bye you two!" Was Anzu's cheery reply.

As they continued to walk away, Yami could hear Joey still defend his losing streak "It's just not fair! How is it he and Yug are so damn good at games?"

Tristan had barely turned his head to Joey "Who knows. Just remember you're better at sports than they are".

"Oh…yeah, I guess you're right. Alright!"

Yami and Anzu waited until Joey and Tristan had put some distance between them, their conversation drifting off and mixing with the sounds of the crowds, before the two of them felt comfortable to leave.

Yami turned to Anzu "Do you want me to walk you back?" Yami offered.

Anzu shook her head, and gave a cheery smile "No, I promised my mum I'd buy a few things on my way back. It'd be a waste of your time".

"Well, if you say so" Yami turned to walk away, in the direction of his home "See you around Anzu".

"I'll call you later!" Anzu said, before heading off in her own direction.

Walking on his own, Yami idly let his attention fall to the shops he passed, wondering what else he could do during his summer vacation. There were limits to what an average teenager could do, and then there was the problem of repetition of activities, bringing boredom with it, and many numerous problems that began to list one after the other. Yami heaved a sigh, and concluded that summer vacations may not have been the best time for a teenager.

Yami lifted his head up, stepping out of the way to mind a couple of running children, before tilting his head in confusion.

Past a couple of shops was a bookstore; it was fairly popular, and always had a bright and cheerful disposition about it, no doubt attempting to attract the younger generation to read. Standing outside the particular bookshop, was Yugi.

He seemed to be happy with himself, a bag from the shop nestled in his arms, and looking rather bloated with the items he had bought. Luckily, he did not spot Yami a few paces away watching him, as he briefly checked the inside of the bag.

_Yugi? Wasn't he supposed to be helping at the game shop?_ Yami thought, raising his brow. _What's he doing at a bookstore?_

Yami spied on Yugi longer, content with his safe spot. Yugi gave a satisfied smile, and once closing the top of the bag, he started walking again.

_Well, he's happy with whatever he bought, but…_ Yami then grew a smirk as a devious thought came to mind. _Actually, wasn't Joey trying to get Yugi to read porn or something before school finished? Yugi said he wasn't interested in that stuff, but…well he is a guy, I'm sure he has needs just as much as any other guy. I think I've discovered a whole new side to Yugi._

As Yugi began to slip between the crowds, Yami began walking, determined to keep sight of him, and find out more about his newfound discovery. _Well, if it's innocent, he has nothing to hide. I guess I'll just test it out._

Yami crept up behind Yugi, making sure he blended well with the crowds, and deceiving Yugi's sense of safety with the many people. If he did intend to catch Yugi red handed, he had to do it with the element of surprise, otherwise there would be time for Yugi to hide his scandal, and concoct a cover story. It had to be quick and sudden, like a lion hunting an antelope, but without the bloodshed and flesh eating.

He was soon walking behind Yugi, near enough touching him, without the smaller teen realising at all. Yami was certain that the reflections in the windows they passed would ruin his plan, but Yugi had been so absorbed with his bag, that he did not even bother to lift his head to check. It was a flawless plan, and Yami's blood began to bubble with anticipation, debating about the best course to ignite his questions.

"Yo! Yugi!" Yami settled on a casual greeting, but made sure it was louder than normal, increasing the chance of a startle.

Yugi jumped, and emitted a weird yelp, as he spun around to face Yami. The trick seemed to have worked; he was panting from the terror of the scare, and his face was flushed from embarrassment, while his arms were clung tightly around his package. The signs of a guilty man.

"Y-Y-Yami" Yugi finally stammered out, and let his hand reach up to brush away his bangs, attempting to bring back his happy, confident self "Wh-What are you doing here?"

"We decided to end it early, so I was heading home" Yami explained "Sorry, did I startle you?"

"N-No, I-I mean…I-I-I was spacing out so…I-I deserved it…"

"Sorry" Yami briefly looked down at the bag, but returned his gaze from Yugi. His arms were like locks around it, if he wanted to see what was in it, or get any information from Yugi, he had to keep the tone of conversation casual "I thought you were helping out at the game shop?"

"A-Ah, yeah. G-Grandpa wanted me to…uh…g-get something for him. G-Gotta help your elders out…r-right?"

"Mm. I thought something might have happened to you, I was worried".

At the sound of his friend's concern, Yugi eased up, letting his shoulders slump in a relaxed manner "I-I'm sorry I couldn't make it today. I was just so busy and…" Yugi gave a sigh "Did…did I let the others down?"

"No, I don't think so. I think they were just worried about you as well".

"I'll…I'll make it up to everyone somehow" Yugi then gave a nod, as if consulting his inner self briefly "I'll buy burgers or something for everyone".

"You don't have to do that" Yami reassured with a chuckle, but glanced at the bag again. Yugi's arms were easing again, and it would be very easy to swipe the bag out of his hands and check it. However, if he had meant to buy something for his grandfather, it seemed like an insulting thing to do to a friend. Yami settled with asking first, and decide then "So, what did you buy?"

Yugi gave a perplexed stare "Eh?"

"You know" Yami pointed to the bag, sending Yugi to tense up again "At the bookstore".

"A-Ah, just…you know…a book" Yugi tried to lie, but Yami could tell he was avoiding the truth; Yugi was a very bad liar "H-He's really into this series…"

"Which one?"

"Ah! Y-You probably haven't heard of it! I-It's old! A-And foreign!"

"I don't know, I have a good taste in books. Why don't you let me see?"

Yugi took a step back, putting a small amount of distance between them "I-It's really nothing special! Th-There's no need to trouble yourself!"

If it was not for being in front of Yugi, Yami would have smirked broadly, and even had trouble resisting doing so regardless. _He's hiding something, no doubt about it. Then it's open season._

Yami was quick, and grabbed the handle of the bag, pulling it out of Yugi's arms. Yugi had little chance to react, and when he did, the plastic of the bag just slipped by his fingers.

"Why don't you let me have a look?" Yami asked, a teasing tone present and strong, as he let his hand dive into the bag "I'll be quick".

"N-No! Yami don't!" Yugi grabbed at Yami's arm, attempting to pull it out from its investigating, while his face burned bright crimson "P-Please don't!"

Yami continued to torment Yugi, and held the bag high when he tried to reach for it, while continuing to feel the contents of the bag. His fingers soon stroked over a book, feeling the hard ridge of the cover, and the many squashed pages together. A hardback cover, the book Yugi had been talking about, no doubt.

But as he continued to feel around, he realised there were several books tucked away. Hardcovers, paper backs, and what he guessed was even manga. Yugi had certainly bought books, that much he knew for sure, but for himself and not his grandfather.

Yami settled on grabbing one of the supposed manga's; Yugi was persisting on nearly climbing his body to reach his bag, and was becoming a mess in the public street, he had to make this a quick embarrassment before it caught the public's attention.

As he pulled the manga out, Yugi fell deafly quiet, and let go of Yami with a shaky gasp. Yami stared up at the happy looking cover of the manga, with two men embracing each other, and many colourful sunflowers floating around them. The image was slightly surreal, and made Yami study the details a second time over, before tilting his head confused.

"What is this?" Yami questioned, turning it around so he could read the back "Huh? Is this a B-?"

"No!" Yugi slapped his hand over Yami's mouth, reducing him to silence. The action alone had caught Yami by surprise, forgetting he had been on the quest to humiliate Yugi for submitting to human nature, but found himself discovering something more.

Yugi grabbed the bag out of Yami's hand, along with the manga, shoving it back with its newly bought brothers, all the while being silent. There was something different about Yugi, something Yami had sworn he'd never seen from his friend before. He was frowning, but not out of hatred or annoyance, but resembling more if he was in deep thought. A heavy red colour filled his cheeks, rising to the top of his cheek bones, and resting under his eyes. And his eyes, which were always bright, cheerful, and pleasant to see, were wide eyed from fear, and were weakening as if he were to cry any second.

Yami had never seen such a pained and humiliated expression before, and never expected such a response from Yugi to begin with, which only aided the pit of guilt to grow further.

Yugi remained silent, though shared a long gaze with Yami, studying him and waiting for him to say something. However, when neither was willing to talk, Yugi turned and began to walk away in a more rigid state. Though he gave no sign of communication, Yami began to follow Yugi, feeling that it was the right course of action to take. Even if Yugi did not wish to be followed, it gave Yami a chance for the two of them to move away from the busy streets, and let him properly apologise to Yugi.

His instinct proved to be right, for as he followed Yugi through the busy streets, Yugi led him to the local park. Groups of children were scattered around the lush green park, filling the air with their gleeful voices as they played together, but ignored the two teens regardless. It gave them the privacy they needed, despite being outside.

Yugi walked to one of the nearest benches, and let his body gladly collapse onto it, his body finally turning loose after his stiff walking. The bag, which had been hanging from his side like a disobedient child, was cradled into his body once again. Yami was sure he was not going to look inside it again, but after Yugi's reaction of him simply groping inside it, there was little left for him to want to do it again.

Yami sat himself next to Yugi, keeping up the silence between them, and let Yugi take his time in speaking. Yami watched the children play while he waited, watching them chase each other, fall over, laugh and shout, giving the park its rightful atmosphere.

"Will you tell everyone?" Yugi mumbled out the question.

Yami turned to him; Yugi's head was still bowed, doubled over his bag as if he had stomach ache, while he stared adamantly to the ground. It was clear to see he was nervous, scared even, but by what Yami was unsure.

"What's to say?" Yami responded "I don't know anything to tell, so how can I?"

Yugi chewed on his lip, and his fingers curled into the plastic of the bag, causing it to rumple under his touch "If…if I tell you…will…will you promise not to say anything? To anyone?"

_Is it that bad that I have to promise?_ Yami thought to himself, but shook the thought away, seeing that Yugi would be distressed if he said otherwise "I promise".

"Really?"

"Yes. If it means that much to you, I won't tell anyone".

Yugi gave a breathless chuckle, but stretched out his back, allowing himself to sit upright again. He took a few moments to compose himself, his blush returning stronger than ever, as he held to the edges of his books from outside the bag.

"I…I really…" Yugi inhaled deeply, and spoke on one breath "I really like BL!"

_I could have guessed as much_. "But, why do you need me to promise that sort of thing?" Yami questioned "Isn't BL popular these days?"  
Yugi turned to Yami, shocked and devastated by the question alone "B-Because I'm a boy! BL is aimed for women! If anyone found out I read BL, they'd laugh at me, mock me! I'd be seen as weird and shunned from normal society; I couldn't deal with that Yami!"

Yami thought to himself briefly; if Yugi had admitted to liking BL, out of the blue one day, he was certain he'd be in a laughing fit. Even then, sitting on a park bench having Yugi admit it was somewhat bizarre, but he kept his cool about it, knowing that Yugi would be pained to see his friend belittle him.

"Well, if it causes you that much trouble, why don't you give up on it?" Yami suggested.

Yugi pulled back his lips, a sign of disobedience, as he stared down at the ground again "I-I can't. BL…I love BL. It makes me so happy…I can't begin to describe how it makes me feel. When I start reading a good book, wrapped up in my bed, I feel like the whole world doesn't exist. I feel…I feel like I left this world, and become a part of that world".

Yami raised his brow at Yugi's morphing expression; from pure shame, he had slowly begun to smile, and show great affection in his gaze to the ground. Yami watched him for a few moments, before a thought spawned in his mind, prompting him to think differently.

"Um, Yugi" Yami began, catching Yugi's attention "Are you…by any chance…?"

"What?" Yugi prompted when Yami lingered.

"Homosexual?"

The question stunned Yugi for a few moments, like a fly to a light, he sat speechless and motionless. He then shook his head rapidly, a new embarrassment forming on his cheeks.

"N-No! No way! I just really like the characters!" When he had calmed down, Yugi pulled his bag closer to his stomach "That's…also another reason. People may think I'm like…that. B-But I'm not! I-If they think wrongly like that…they may be mean or…do mean things. So…"

Yugi drifted off with his answer, giving a noise of discomfort as he did so, returning to his timid state again "Do you…hate me?"

"What? No, of course not" Yami leant back against the bench, draping his arms behind him "While I find it weird and I don't understand the concept, I'm not going to disown you for liking something. I mean, everyone has different tastes, it'd be stupid to get so petty over something like BL, right?"

Yugi sat quiet, his eyes brimming with tears, but shining with pure happiness. Clutching his bag tightly, Yugi sprung up to his feet again, turning to Yami and showing him his happy smile.

"Thank you Yami!"

Yami gave a smile back, grateful that he had somehow dispelled Yugi's fears, and brought back the cheerful persona he was well known for. Seeing his smile again, it was hard for Yami to connect him to the person who was sat by his side a few moments ago, ready to burst into tears when needed, to the happy and polite boy he knew of.

"Ah, hold on" Yugi stuck his hand in his bag, searching around for a few brief moments, before pulling out one of his hardcover books. The cover was uninteresting, unlike the manga Yami had abstracted, with only a deep green colour and the title to make it unique "You can borrow this if you like".

Yami took the book, briefly glancing over the title, and returning his gaze to Yugi "Isn't this one of your new BL's though?"

"It's fine. You said you didn't understand it right? Well, grandpa says that you should at least try everything once, so, you can read this to see if you like it, okay?"

Yami gave an apprehensive look to the book, wanting to pass the book back, and deny any chance that he'd be sucked into the world of BL. But he knew Yugi would be disappointed and upset, no matter how much he'd protest otherwise. Yugi was counting on him to keep up with his support, and if reading a book of his meant that, then he'd do so.

"S-Sure…" Yami mumbled, and rested the book on his lap.

"Um, you don't have to read it all the way through if you don't want to" Yugi reassured "Just a little bit if it's too much".

"No, I'll read all of it" Yami put his hand on top of the book "I'll try to finish it before school starts, is that okay with you?"

"Sure" Yugi hung on his words, trying to search for something suitable to say, but settled on clasping the bag to his chest and bowing "I better head home, grandpa might wonder where I am".

"Yeah, I best be off too" Holding the book, Yami stood up, lightly pulling at his jacket "See you another time Yugi?"

"Yeah, bye Yami" Yugi gave a small wave from the side of his bag, but took off in a jog, hoping to reach home within reasonable time.

Yami headed home as well, book tucked against his hip, as he tried to avoid showing anyone his book. As he walked home, he began to understand how Yugi felt uncomfortable admitting BL was a part of his life.

Once home, Yami made sure to visit his room first, leaving the book on his bed. He was sure his parents would understand the situation if he explained it to them, but wanted to avoid what would potentially be an embarrassing conversation. With the soothed thought that the book was safe in his room, Yami decided to take a shower first, hating that the arcade was always hot.

Clean from sweat, Yami dried himself off and put on his jeans, before heading to his bedroom again. The damp towel was still placed over his hair, persistently rubbing at it, knowing that it would take a while for it to completely dry out.

Yami gave a groan, and settled on leaving the towel on his head for a while, letting it soak up the water in its own time "I'm bored" Yami mused, and glanced around his room to find something to do.

His eyes fell on the book, almost forgetting he had borrowed it, and left it in his room. He sat down on his bed, and read over the title one last time.

_Well, I did promise Yugi._ Yami thought, and turned it over. _I'm sure it can't be that bad._

Yami read the blurb: _Young Ryu Mizukawa began his attendance to Sagano High school in the spring, hoping to advance his academic life. However, upon meeting fellow student, Takahiro Oshiro, the quest for self-improvement will clash with his newfound attraction to his classmate. Life's struggles, inner demons, and unsuspecting villains are but of a few obstacles Ryu must overcome to succeed._

_Why do I feel that this is illegal?_ Yami thought. But with a sigh, he tipped backwards onto his bed, making sure he laid comfortably on it, before flipping to the first chapter. _Well…I did promise. Can't judge a book by its cover, or…blurb in this case._

Yami began reading, making sure to keep himself at a considerable pace, and not rush because something was not to his liking. He had to keep remembering that Yugi was expecting him to read it; besides, Yugi proved a point, knowing he could not dislike the subject without at least reading one book.

However, by the time he reached page five—where the protagonist had reached a mirror, giving an opportunity to describe his features—Yami found himself sniggering, the book rested on his nose, while he tried to compose himself.

The character description, as well as the character itself, was all too humorous for Yami. While the vivid and long-winded paragraphs were written well, the choice of words left Yami with little imagination on how the character looked like, imaging him to be an effeminate young boy, with large bulging eyes, unnatural pink hair, a curvy body, with a like for sweets. It was almost like he was reading a badly portrayed cartoon.

"What is this crap?" Yami managed to splutter out in between his sniggers, but returned to reading again, forcing the remainder of his humour down his throat. If he wanted to make genuine progress before school, he was going to have to hold back on his mocking until later.

After jumping the embarrassing hurdle of character descriptions, Yami fell silent as he continued reading, beginning to find interest in the plot detail. Though he could not say he had been in the exact position, with the help of the school setting, he found himself relating to a few of the situations written down. Certain aspects seemed odd to Yami, but figured they were exaggerated for the purpose of entertainment, like many media was. With that mind-set Yami found he could read pass the detailing, and embarrassing lines of attraction between two men.

"Yami! Anzu's on the phone!"

Yami gave a dazed blink, and turned to his clock. An hour had passed. Yami sat up, and quickly flicked back through the book to check his progress; a little over thirty pages within an hour, it was a good time, but hoped that it did not mean he was forcing himself through it.

"Yami?"

"Coming!" Yami replied, and set the book on his bed, before leaving to answer the call. He barely realised he still had the towel on his head, and was still shirtless, when he answered the phone.

He and Anzu talked for a while, chatting about needless things, and about the day they had just spent and what their next plans were. However, when nearing the hour and a half border, Yami could see that his mother was giving signs that they had chatted too long. Wrapping up their conversation and a promise to hang out together another day, Yami hung up the phone, and returned to his room.

_We need to sort Anzu out with some girl friends_. Yami thought, shutting the door behind him, and falling onto his bed when he approached it. He then laid on his back, and pulled the book up, resting the rim of the cover on his chest. _Well, whatever, I should get back to reading. We was about to meet the class president._

Yami read a line into the book, before he stopped to frown, staring at no particular spot on the page _Wait, what was that just now? Was I…eager to read this?_ Yami eyed the book suspiciously, as if the book would pull a mischievous grin, and start whispering a chant for him to divulge in a secret desire. He shook the thought away, and pressed on with reading. _No way, I'm not letting this cliché story get the better of me!_

The days passed, and Yami found himself slowly reading more and more of the book, growing more eager and anticipated to see what would happen on the next page. If his own daily life did not distract him from reading, he was sure he would waste the day away spilled over the words of the story. But, by the time he realised he was developing a problem, he was already too invested in the plot and characters to want to stop. He simply needed to know what would happen to them; he needed to see that happy ending.

When he reached chapter fourteen, the dreaded happened. The class president—whom Yami suspected of being one of the villains—was about to try and seduce Ryu. And, as Yami's gut instincts told him, Takahiro had seen the commotion, and concluded to the wrong idea.

Yami read the scene with a clenched stomach, sick with the idea that the happy ending he wanted to read could potentially be destroyed. As he read, treading carefully over each word, he could hear his voice in his head cry out "_Don't fall for it Takahiro! Ryu loves you! Save him!"_

His eyes became agonising pained as he strained to read, and had to move his hand up to the page, aiding him by running his finger along the lines. Such a simple event made him feel terrified about the outcome, almost as if it were happening to himself.

Then, he paused as his finger ran under the word "slap". He sat motionless for a few moments, denying that Takahiro had slapped Ryu; after everything he had read about them, and how they felt, it was impossible for Takahiro to lay a violent hand on the innocent boy. But, after swallowing a hard lump, and coaxing himself to read more, he found that the most horrible outcome had happened. Takahiro had slapped Ryu.

A small tap broke Yami out of his thoughts, and looked down to see a small dew of water rested on the book, gently rolling itself into the crease of the book. Its appearance startled Yami, until he raised a hand to his cheek, and brushed away the thin stream of tears from his face.

"Crap" Yami sat himself up, rubbing his watery eyes with his wrists, trying to avoid spilling anymore tears onto the book and ruin it "Why am I getting so teary? I-It's just a book!"

Yami dried his tears, and gazed at the book, guilty to know what would happen next. He read the next line.

"_I see you like this! In the arms of another man! You said you loved me! How can I trust you?!"_

Yami put his hand over his eyes, his eyes squeezing shut, as he pushed out a fresh batch of tears. As he tried to sniff back his tears, he felt himself give a gentle hiccup, and realised it was a foolish battle.

He swung his legs off the bed, rubbing his eyes as he did so "I need some comfort food".

Yami headed downstairs, and grabbed himself a bag of Kappa Ebisen, before returning to his room. Happy with the snack, Yami rested on his stomach, propping himself up so tears would not spill on the pages, while he fed himself every now and then. With the distraction of food, Yami managed to pass through the moment, despite his unsettling feelings of depression.

Throughout the rest of the weeks, Yami managed to finish the book in time for school, rather glad he could give it back, and glad that he could read through the heartbreak to the happy ending.

Once back at school, Yami made sure to go in early on the first day, hoping to avoid their friends until Yugi had been given his book back. Yami sat in his class, keeping his eyes on the door, with his bag in his lap ready to be opened.

Yugi came in some time later, and seeing Yami already at his seat, gave him a cheerful smile as he approached "Good morning Yami".

"Morning" Yami waited until Yugi was closer, trying to limit any embarrassment for the teen, before taking out the book "I finished it, like I said".

A faint pink colour came to Yugi's cheeks, as he took the book from Yami, and placed it in his bag "Th-Thank you" With it secure in his bag, Yugi glanced to the few other students lingering the classroom, before leaning closer "So…h-how did you find it?"

Yami gave a hum, leaning back in his chair "Well, I thought the plot was a little corny, and sometimes I found that it rambled on, with little realism in it".

Yugi gave a sigh, his shoulders slumping down in defeat "Oh. I see".

"But" Yami continued, and turned his head away to say it "I…liked it. Couldn't believe I was rooting for the characters to the end but, I guess I got wrapped up with it too".

A surprised smile came to Yugi, as he was left wordless, unsure of how to take the accepting compliment. Yami glanced back, nodding slightly "When you read it, I suggest you have some comfort food or something when you reach chapter fourteen. Sad moment and all".

"Yeah, I will!" Yugi gave a chuckle, and held his bag strap, like a young child did "Thank you Yami!"

"Anytime" Yami watched Yugi head to his own desk, his wide smile still present as he sat down, and held his bag to his stomach. He was happy once again. _Well, at least that's over._

At the weekend, Yami was tucked away in his room, headphones on with music pounding, while a book of his own rested against his legs for him to read. Everyone had been busy that weekend, so with no one to spend time with, Yami catered for some alone time. Perhaps not the most glamorous of activities, he thought, but it was what he wanted to do.

It took his mother a fair few loud shouts to catch his attention, barely audible over his music, but still persistent for him to notice. Yami took off one side of his headphone, resting it behind his ear.

"You say something mum?" Yami shouted back.

"Yugi's here!" She called up, sounding a little hoarse after trying to get his attention.

"Oh, okay!" Yami turned his music off, and placed it on his bed along with his book, hoping he could return to it soon.

Once he went down to greet Yugi, he led the teen to his room, and invited him in, despite Yugi having visited his room many times. As Yami shut the door, he noticed Yugi was carrying his school bag, despite him having no reason to return to school on the weekend.

"So…what did you want?" Yami asked, wondering if he should question Yugi's carrier choice.

Yugi said nothing at first, showing Yami his eager smile, before sitting himself on the floor in front of Yami's desk. As he played with his bag, Yami sat down opposite him, receiving the hint that it was what Yugi wanted him to do. When Yugi opened his bag, he held it on its back, and lightly shook out the contents so it spread on the small space in between them.

Books, of many varieties, clumped together like a badly shaped rock. Hardbacks, paperbacks, manga's, all were from Yugi's collection. And all BL.

"I thought you might want to see if there's anything else you may like" Yugi explained, sitting his bag by his thigh, and spread out the books so each had its own unique spot on his carpet "I don't have every book mind you, but, I have a pretty decent collection!"

Yugi then began to explain each book he had brought with him. Holding it up like a host, he outlined the basics of the plot, and any other interesting points about it, before giving his opinion on what he felt about it. And as he continued to talk, Yami realised Yugi was accurate with what he said; he had a fairly decent collection of BL. Aside from the types of books, Yugi had a range of types of BL; bittersweet love, childhood loves, optimistic relationships, hardcore sexual relationships. It seemed impossible for one person to hold such a quantity of works, but it seemed Yugi had proved him wrong.

Yugi picked up a manga resting against another book, quickly flicking through the pages, before showing it to Yami "This one is good as well, you might like it, it's kind of a comedy, so you'll get a chuckle out of it".

Yugi continued to talk about the new story he had in his hands, unaware of Yami's depleting patience.

_He's been talking for half an hour nonstop._ Yami thought, feeling his head hang from physical and mental exhaustion. _This is more than just a hobby to him, this is an obsession. A really unhealthy obsession. How can one person read this much BL? Where does he find the time?_ Yami breathed a gentle sigh, making sure it did not interrupt Yugi's speech, though Yami had little participation in the conversation. _Maybe I should just tell him, tell him to stop with this obsession. After all, can reading about two guys making out really be that addictive? I don't understand you Yugi. I don't understand the love for BL._

"Ah! This is my favourite!" Yugi exchanged the manga he held for another, holding it delicately in his hands, as if he were cradling a baby chick "I love this one. I've read it several times now".

_Several?_ "Wouldn't that lose the appeal though?" Yami questioned "When you've read it once, you know what's going to happen again".

Yugi gave a chuckle, and pressed the manga against his chest endearingly "Perhaps so, but, whenever I read this, I notice something new every time. The way characters look, the small hidden text, the way particular scenes play out. Every time I read this, it's like something changes each time, and that makes me eager to read it again and again. I don't think I could ever get bored of reading it".

Yami looked down to the book in his hands, finding little to no difference between it and the others that laid out between their feet. He could not comprehend why it was special above the others, for it seemed just as ordinary as the others.

"It…reminds me a lot about school" Yugi said, but was more meekly, afraid to speak again "And…a lot of my friends" Yugi's face turned red, as he lifted to meet his gaze with Yami's "N-N-Not that I think about you guys in that kind of way! I-I don't think about pairing you up! It-It's just personalities and traits that seem similar, y-you know?!"

"I wouldn't think you'd be like that anyway" Yami reassured, earning a heavy sigh from Yugi, as he calmed down again.

"But, it would be fun to see what everyone else thinks" Yugi then halted, his expression shocked as if a terrible thought had wormed his way inside him, eating away at his happy demeanour. He then downcast his eyes, moving the manga out of his hold, and back into its space on the floor "N-No…they'd probably…not like that sort of thing".

Yugi thought for a moment, before turning to the next book, and began detailing it to Yami. But, Yami had seen the weak gaze, seeing the dejected expression he gave, if only for a fleeting moment.

_Was…Yugi sad?_ Yami thought to himself, his brow furrowing in thought. _Didn't he say he likes BL? I can't imagine him being sad when it comes to BL._

"_If anyone found out I read BL, they'd laugh at me, mock me!"_

Yami let his gaze soften, as he looked down at the books beneath him. _Yugi really does put others before himself. I never noticed it before, but when we ask him to do things, even if he doesn't like to, he's always willing to do so. Just so we could be happy. Aside from the BL and games, I know nothing of what Yugi likes. He's never said "I want to do this", but always "What does everyone else want to do?" He'd even put aside the things that make him happy, in favour of what makes everyone else happy. Even on his birthday, he's more worried about everyone else's wellbeing then his own. If I had to pent up my interests, I'd probably explode on the nearest person who said that they liked it too. I can't really blame Yugi for this._

Yami let his eyes fall on the manga Yugi had put down after proclaiming it to be his favourite. He reached out, and made sure to take the upmost care as he held it, before looking over the cover.

"So, this is your favourite, right?" Yami said, breaking Yugi out from his speech.

Yugi glanced over to Yami, before smiling and nodding "Yeah! Do you…want to read it?"

"I'll give it a go" Yami flipped open the manga, and began to read through it.

Yugi sat and watched Yami read for a little while, giving Yami some time to become content with what he was reading, before crawling over to sit next to Yami. He lightly rested against Yami's arm, reading with him as well, before pointing to a character in the manga.

"This guy reminds me of Joey" Yugi tapped the character again to catch Yami's attention.

"Ah, yeah I suppose so".

The two continued to read together, sitting in peace and quiet, before Yami lifted a hand up and ran it through Yugi's hair, forcing his head to bow slightly as he played with Yugi's head.

"Yami?"

"You can be very dumb you know" Yami said, patting Yugi's head in a show of teasing.

The soft tone he used made Yugi think that instead of being taunting, which was what he presumed he was going for, he sounded calm and caring. Yugi gave a chuckle, not retaliating against the comment, and sat happily next to Yami as they divulged into the BL books around them.

_There are a lot of things I can't do, being a teenager and all. But, the one thing that I can do is be a friend to Yugi._

* * *

I should probably say, that the comments and such made in this story in no way reflect my own opinion about BL and the likes. They were purely the characters opinions, and were made to be humorous. So, in short; don't burn me yo!

This actually turned out longer then I was planning it to be. Not complaining or anything, but, yeah, it's good I suppose.

Okay I'm gonna get back to writing actual stories now instead of throwing out this junk. Wish me luck!

Review if you like!


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